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At the same time, public water supply systems are potentially pouring billions of gallons more of safe, treated drinking water directly into the ground via water main breaks and undetected system leaks.

On Thursday, a coalition of unions, environmental groups, economic development officers and elected officials held a press conference in Monroe County to highlight the need for massive investment in the state's deteriorating water infrastructure. Rebuild NY Now says such an effort would not only make our drinking water and recreational waterways safer, but also would bring much-needed jobs to the state, help attract new businesses and benefit the environment.

As Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature work to hammer out a spending plan for 2017, the group is throwing support behind the governor's $2 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act, which would help communities upgrade and modernize their wastewater treatment and drinking water treatment and delivery systems.

"We rely on water for life, right?" said Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo. "I've always believed that our infrastructure is an important engine that drives our economy and water is the fuel that helps that engine run."

Dinolfo noted that while Monroe County's water system — largely handled by the Monroe County Water Authority outside the jurisdiction of the Rochester Water Bureau — is in relatively good shape due to ongoing local support for capital improvements, "...we need clean water for every resident of New York, not just Monroe County."

Safety of the public water supply has been under increasing scrutiny in the aftermath of the ongoing lead-poisoning crisis in Flint, Michigan. Closer to home, residents of Hoosick Falls in Rensselaer County faced a crisis of their own last year, when high levels of volatile organic compounds were discovered in their drinking water. A new full capacity filtration system was installed, and subsequent testing shows the contaminants are being fully removed.

Jim Howe, executive director of the Nature Conservancy of Western and Central New York, noted antiquated wastewater treatment systems in nearby Buffalo and Syracuse. Every year, he said, the Buffalo system is overwhelmed by heavy rains at least 50 times and is forced to discharge a mix of sewage and stormwater into local waterways. In Onondaga County, he said, at least 7 million gallons of mixed sewage and stormwater is discharged into Onondaga Lake.

"These kinds of investments are sorely needed," he said.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' New York State Council gives the state's water infrastructure poor grades. In a 2015 report, the drinking water system was graded a "C" while the wastewater systems were graded a "D." The report notes that nearly 95 percent of improvement projects submitted to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program remain unfunded because there's not enough money, and that the estimated cost to update wastewater systems still being used well beyond their expected life would top $36.2 billion over two decades.

State Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Greece, said he's hopeful the Clean Water Infrastructure Act will be part of the approved budget.

"We have aging infrastructure and this can shouldn't be kicked further down the road," he said. "It only becomes more expensive that way."

While legislators in the Assembly and the Senate have proposed even more funding for water projects — as much as $5 billion — all agree the overall needs are significantly greater. Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Steggos has told legislators that combined, the waste and drinking water systems likely need an investment of at least $80 billion over the next 20 years.

These are the clarifiers at the Frank E. VanLare Wastewater Treatment Facility. Clarifiiers have billions of micro organisms swimming around in them to help consume bacteria.(Photo: Annette Lein/@bikebizzle, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)